SURMULLET. 213 



discrimination of nearly-allied species even among the most 

 observant writers, in ancient times; and Ave have reason to 

 believe also, that in some of the stranger tales handed down 

 to us, the larger, and to us more familiar fish, was truly that 

 to which the narrative refers. 



Besides the enormous cost that was unavoidable in the form- 

 ation of some of the fishponds into which salt water was 

 admitted, the expense was scarcely less for preserving those 

 which survived the capture in that healthy condition in Avhich 

 it was necessary they should appear if carried to the market; 

 for it caused their owner to be subject to sharp criticism if 

 any marks of neglect or under feeding could be noticed in 

 them. We are informed that in his private ponds Hortensius 

 was accustomed to employ a large number of men in attending 

 to the wants of his Mullets by supplying them with small 

 fishes; and they were supplied with salt fish when boisterous 

 weather proved a hindrance to his obtaining food from the 

 sea. Lucullus is sufficiently known for the great expense he 

 was at in forming his ponds, and especially for the enormous 

 cost of digging through a hill, to obtain a passage into them 

 for the water of the sea; and yet he was blamed by Horten- 

 sius for want of care in allowing his fish to remain in 

 what he considered an unhealthy situation. He declared that 

 he would bestow more attention on his sick fishes than on 

 his sick servants; and this care of his extended to the furnish- 

 ing them with water artificially warmed, while his sick servants 

 were left without any such conveniency. He would even be 

 better reconciled to the loss of one of the chariot-mules from 

 his stable than that he should lose a Mullet from his pond. 

 (Varro, De re Rustica, B. hi, C. IT.) 



Nor was this feeling to be ascribed to the merely pecuniary 

 value of these fishes, although the prevalence of fashion was 

 such, that those who were desirous of having a name among 

 the high and noble, and for that purpose of making a display 

 of luxury, were ready to pay an extravagant price for the 

 coveted dish. Martial has an epigram on one who sold a 

 valuable slave, that with the price he might for once thus 

 indulge himself, and be talked of, although, in fact, he gave 

 his guests but little else to eat. And we hear of another of 

 these apes of the rich and the noble, who would not be without 



